A Trek That Allures Ones Soul: Brahmatal Trek

 It was end of November, as I was shuffling through my travel bucket list, I suddenly saw the name Brahmatal Trek and realized how me and my two friends wanted to undertake this trek so bad. With excitement, I picked up my phone and texted about the same to both of them. The response from both the ends were positive and quite energetic. With this, we decided to undertake the Brahmatal trek, which was a Himalayan trek, in December. And then the next week came quite early and with backpacks and thrilling hearts, the three of us set off for the trek.

On the first day, we had a drive from Dehradun to Lohajung. The 11-hour journey from Haridwar to Lohajung was long yet, had alluring views that will be cherished forever. Wecame across many confluences of rivers and spectacular landscapes all along the drive from Haridwar to Lohajung. Wepassed through Devprayag, Srinagar and Rudraprayag. We also found the confluence of the two purest rivers namely Bhagirathi and Alaknanda at Devprayag. The water was crystal clear and was accompanied by a light blue texture. From Devprayag, we made our journey to Srinagar which was around 40 kilometres. An hour of the drive took us to Rudraprayag which was around 33 kilometres from Devprayag. Here, we found the confluence of the Mandakini and Alaknanda river. The way to Kedarnath starts from Rudraprayag. A further drive of 120 kilometrestook us to Lohajung.We started our journey next day early in the morning.Once we reach Lohajung, we could see the beautiful Nanda Ghunti peak and as we reached before sunset, the colour of Nanda Ghunti amazedus. Lohajung, as the locals say, is the place where Goddess Parvati had a war (Jung) with the demon, Lohasur. Hence, the name, which translates to ‘war with Lohasur.’ It is a centre point of close to 12–15 nearby villages.

On day 2, we started early with a few minutes of yoga and healthy exercise. After having breakfast at the previous campsite, we advanced to Bekaltal. The altitude of Bekaltal was around 9,876 feet and it took around 4–5 hours to reach the Bekaltal campsite. The complete trek distance from Lohajung campsite to Bekaltal campsite was around 6.3 Kilometres through some green vegetation with really beautiful serene beauty of the hills. One-third of trail comprised of dense mountain forests covered with oak and fir and the rest through frost. There was a moderate-level ascent through the oak forest. The serene alpine meadows will fill one’s heart with joy. 

We witnessed a bunch of snow-clad mountain peaks from there and were mesmerized by the awe-inspiring views of the Nanda Ghunti peak. The panoramic landscapes, wide lush green pastures, frozen ice valleys and a thrilling advancement of the trailmade the journey a memorable one for us. We also found spring and manmade water points to replenish our water needs. Following the trail, we reached the Bekaltal campsite soon.After reaching the camp, tents were pitched and hot lunch was served. We went to Bekaltal lake for an evening walk which was at a distance of 15 minutes’ walk from the campsite.

On the third day, we trekked from Bekaltal to Brahmatal. This trek was around 7 km in length and it took 4–5 hours to reach the destination. We enjoyed the mountain vegetation and trees en route and the overnight stay was at Brahmatal. We started our day as early as possible. After breakfast, we set out on the journey to Brahmatal from Bekaltal. We witnessed the beautiful sunrise from Bekaltal. During the first 1.3 hours, we found a steep ascent via Bekaltal Lake. Then we founda gradual ascent for a few hours followed by a steep descent and then a gradual ascent till the campsite. We also witnessed the Shivalik range as well as the Greater Himalayas from there. There were no water points throughout the trail and hot packed lunch was served on the trail.After reaching the Brahmatal Campsite, we rested for some time. In the evening, wewent to visit Brahmatal Lake which was merely at a distance of 500 metres from the campsite. Dinner was served at night and tents were set up for the overnight stay.

The fourth day was the most important day of the trek. We were destined to conquer the Brahmatal and then descend back to Brahmatal campsite. Brahmatal was located at an altitude of 12,600 feet while Brahmatal campsite was located at 10,735 feet. The total trekking distance was around 7.6 kilometres and it would take approximately 5–6 hours to complete the day’s journey. That was ideally a long day but the exhilarating journey to conquer the peak was worth the challenges. We started the day early with a healthy breakfast and set our foot on the journey to the Brahmatal trek. The amazing view of the sunrise as we started to ascend from Brahmatal base camp was breath-taking. 

The warm rays of the sun incorporated some positive energy amidst the tough terrain. On the further advancement on the trail, we found a small stream thatwas formed as a result of the melting of the snow. The trail was so deceptive that every passing top felt like the final ascent. After walking for a while, we finally reached Brahmatal. The mountains that were visible include Chaukhambha, Mandir, Mana, Nilgiri, Neelkant, Trishul, Nanda Ghunti, and Maitoli to name some of the mountains of the Panchachuli range.The alluring 360-degree panoramic view of the snow-clad mountains of Himalayas was a mind-blowing experience thatwe are gonna cherish throughout our life. Wespent some time at the summit and descended back to the base camp. We had an overnight stay at tent with a delicious dinner which brought us to the end of the tiring yet beautiful day.

On day five, after having early and a healthy morning breakfast, weset out for the next trail which was straight forward to Lohajung village. The schedule was to descend from Brahmatal base camp to Lohajung which was located at an altitude of 7,662 feet above the mean sea level. The total trekking distance was 9 kilometres and took approximately 6–7 hours to complete the journey. We had to descend around 3,000 feet through oak and rhododendron trees. This was a very ecstatic trek which gave us ample time to clickendless number of scenic pictures. There was only one water point. We then reached Lohajung by evening and went to explore the lovely village of Lohajungi and buy some handmade stuff which served as a souvenir of the location. A lot of mela and fairs were organized there where we witnessed the tradition and culture of the place. We enjoyed the North Indian cuisine at a nearby Dhaba. The good time was followed by a warm sleep.

On the last day of the trek, we drove back to Dehradun from Lohajung village. A return drive of 300 kilometres on the beautiful trail advanced us to Dehradun where it all began. We again passed through Rudraprayag, Srinagar and Rishikesh. We reached Dehradun by 7 pm. This marked the end of our journey, carrying bag full of memories and experiences with us.

The six-day trek felt like it ended just within a blink of time. The alluring Brahmatal Trek was so fulfilling that I’ll be ever ready to come to this place again. This place really has magic filled in each corners, which can be felt only within our hearts!